A Few Days with Laurel

Now is the time the tide of summer begins to recede in New England. This is a strange thing, for you cannot say that one day is different than the next. The garden is bright with vegetables. Nicotiana makes the air smell sweet and zinnias paint the border with color. But we do not have to mow the lawn so often. Days are hot, nights are not, as the Farmer's Almanac says. There is a slanting sunlight and twilight comes sooner.

~ Gladys Taber from The Stillmeadow Road

 

It is raining. Cool. Green. And I am making myself a proper crockpot supper for the first time in weeks. When you read this, it will be sunny with the promise of mid 80s temps. 

That is about all the news from here for today, but the last week of July, my sister and I spent a couple of days with Laurel at her home up country.

See if you can tell the story for yourselves because I am often at a loss for words or fingers. 

Day 1

 

 

 

Day 2 

The goal was to spend time with Laurel and my sister. Laurel has been inviting me for some time. I am no longer excited about driving very far so my sister kindly agreed to go from her home. All I needed to do was to drive that far and she would take over from there.

The peaches? Well my brother-in-law sent them when he was in Georgia on business. Oddly enough, he and my sister are on their way home from Georgia as I type because of yet another business trip. Anyway, I took one to Laurel. That's all I had left of those delicious peaches. 

We had a few things on our list: 

1. River time 

2. Steak on the grill time 

3. Campfire time 

4. Breakfast at Laurel's favorite haunt 

5. Johnny's Seeds

Four and five were a bust. The restaurant was closed due to lack of help. Johnny's Seeds may have been closed for the same reason. We had lunch out at one of my dad's former favorite spots and it was just okay. Two waitresses for the entire restaurant. So it appears that many places are short staffed. Have you noticed this in your corner? 

Still we had a good time and the day ended with two of my favorite things. Ice cream and this sign. 

Love,

Vee

An Outing

 It's backward but true:

What we need is not better 

strategy or greater drive.

What we need is a truer view of our own

weakness and a coming to the end of ourselves.

God calls the end of our try-in-our-own-strength

the beginning of His stand-back-and-watch-Me.

~Ruth Chou Simons

~*~

Just sharing a few photos today with precious little commentary. I live alone. Most days my brain feels like mush. Nothing going on up there except one gnat buzzing in a slow, circular fashion. Perhaps it's trying to come in for a landing, too. 

My friend Steph took me and my sister on a historical drive past all the notable homes in her life a few weeks ago. It had been planned for months and happened right on time. The pictures that follow are of her grandparents' farm overlooking the White Mountains. It was an overcast day, but that did not dampen our adventure. We thought the day would end after lunch. It didn't. We carried right on. The day ended after ice cream. You know that it is my belief that all good days end with ice cream.

The White Mountains of New Hampshire

The Sunken Garden

The Pond 

Kim walking to the pond

These days the farm has new owners. They are very kind to Steph as they allow her to visit the pond and swim, which she does a few times a week. She swims three laps. It is such an idyllic place. I am glad that I was able to visit.

One more thing, since I last posted, I've had another computer crash. My daughter is taking me and my less than a year and a half old iPad to the hospital this week. I am currently working on a skitzy laptop that skips and lurches all over like a frisky goat. It's beyond frustrating. Oh well. So that explains why I haven't been communicating much. My sincere apologies. I won't blame you for not commenting. ツ

Love,

Vee

Independence Day 2021

A blessed Independence Day to you...

One flag, one land,

One heart, one hand,

One nation forevermore...

~Oliver Wendell Holmes

Memorial Day 2021

 

In Loving Memory with Gratitude 

A Blessed Mother's Day

 

A Blessed Holy Week

 “He is risen! Gone back to glory!” The angels rejoice with great zeal! The portals of heaven are ringing, “SALVATION! Salvation is real!” ~Greta Zwann

Love,

Vee

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Picture Soup

It has been awhile. If anyone is still reading, it's a wonder. ツ To make things easier for me, I've tossed in a bunch of photos that I want to keep; each one will give me the push to say a word or two. In truth, I no longer feel that I have anything of great worth or note to say. Things are so strange these days and people are so easily offended one way or the other. Okay, let's get on and see how this goes. To avoid whiplash, I'll separate each picture with a divider. 

Earlier in the month, Mrs. T of Across My Kitchen Table got in touch with me to say that she and Mr. T were planning a trip to my corner. I had no idea why when their own corner is so lovely until I saw their adorable home away from home: Pebble Cottage. My sister Kim offered to drive me there and so the four of us enjoyed a delicious breakfast made by Mr. and Mrs. T. Mrs. T has shared the recipe *here.* My sister made it the following weekend to rave reviews. I haven't made it yet because it would be dangerous. Thanks to both the cooks. We enjoyed our time with you very much! It's a blessing to talk with the like-minded. 

For Mrs.T's side of the story and more look *here.*

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One day in January, Mrs. Rabe of Creekside Cottage asked if I had a Civil War soldier to look up. She and Mr. Rabe were visiting Gettysburg and they could look up his regiment and visit the memorial for it. As I had my ancestor's grave on file with his regiment prominently displayed, I knew that he fought with the 32nd Massachusetts Regiment. 

I was so surprised when they found the memorial and shared many pictures with me. I believe I must credit this one to Mr. Rabe. Can you tell what it is? It took me awhile. Mrs. Rabe shared that it is a tent and that the water canteen is hanging there. Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Rabe for discovering this site.

It was wonderful to see this as I will probably never visit Gettysburg nor see this memorial. It is quite moving to think of my ancestor—a three times great-grandfather there fighting for the preservation of the Union and the abolishment of slavery. I do not know much about Hezekiah other than that he was born in Portland, Maine, that he was wounded during the war, and that he died at age 39. 

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When Tim Horton's Coffee Shop closed down a few years ago, I was very upset. It was one of John's and my favorite haunts. So I was very excited to see some updating and activity at the old shop recently. Soon enough Holy Donut came on the scene. They kinda look holy, but it turns out they are not as holy as we had hoped. Beyond that, they are terribly expensive, but pretty! 

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Abby's been at it again. Thank you, friend!

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Those blue eyes get me every time! Such a doll baby. She looks a lot like her grandmother when she was that age.

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Sitting on the dock of the bay long years past.

Our daughter Laurel who is apparently cleaning up her yard. This is for those who have mentioned that Laurel looks a lot like me. She may be a combination child as most children are, but she certainly favors her dad's side of the family.

Speaking of which...a wonderful, unexpected gift from Laurel today. 

What fun!

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Okay, my ramblings are nearly done. It has been a long difficult year. Let us be gentle with ourselves and each other. 

Love,

Vee

 

Different Day Same Story

 

Taken last Tuesday; today looks the same. I think this is true for many of us. 

Love,

Vee

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A Blessed New Year

 “I wish it need not have happened in my time,” said Frodo.

“So do I,” said Gandalf, “and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”

J. R. R. Tolkien — The Fellowship of the Ring

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Remembering Christmas 2020

 Prompts desperately needed! Thanks to Joyce at This Side of the Pond for providing them. 

1. Tell us about your favorite moment or share one of the bright spots from the year we're leaving behind. 

Thinking about 2020 gives me a headache. Sure, there were a few good days—precious few, and far between. Christmas was the highlight. 

2. What do you wish you'd known at the start of 2020? Elaborate. 

Difficult to answer. I would not have wanted to know one thing about 2020. It was the kind of year that was best unrolled one day at a time. Knowing anything in advance, I may have lived under the bed. 

3. Best book you read this year? If you did not read any books this year, what's the best thing you ate all year? We've all eaten, right? 

I enjoyed reading my Gladys Taber books. I didn't try anything new in culinary delights. 

4. The Pantone Colors of the year for 2021 are ultimate gray and illuminating yellow (a bright shade)...are you a fan? Would we find either of these colors in your home or wardrobe? 

I might be; You might. 

5. If you were/are making a list of 21 things to do/accomplish in 2021 what is one thing that would be on it? 

Death Cleaning/Decluttering...the entire house needs it from basement to attic and the garage could use more, as well.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

    Emmanuel making his first gingerbread house

Anneke's First Christmas

Kirsten, Anneke, and Raccoon

Emmanuel likes to clean

Reminds me of David Engledow and Alice Bee

Adam. Sam, Jake wrapping gifts for their mom on Christmas Eve

Beautiful Laurel...say, what would that app do for me?

Ahhh well, moving right along. ツ

The House

Thanks to Joyce, whom I am linking to, though not participating. 

Thanks for reading. 

Happy 2021!

Love, 

Vee

Christmas Greetings

 Look for Christ and you will find Him. And with Him, everything else.

 

~C.S. Lewis

 It's now or never. This season has been particularly overwhelming for many reasons. My sincere apologies for being silent. Quiet is what I have needed these days.

From my home to yours...a blessed Christmas. 

Love,

Vee

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A Blessed Thanksgiving

 

"May not and ought not the children of these fathers rightly say: 'Our fathers were Englishmen which came over this great ocean, and were ready to perish in this wilderness but they cried unto the Lord, and He heard their voice, and looked on their adversity...' Let them therefore praise the Lord, because He is good, and His mercies endure forever. Yea, let them which have been redeemed of the Lord, shew how He hath delivered them from the hand of the oppressor. When they wandered in the desert wilderness out of the way, and found no city to dwell in, both hungry, and thirsty, their soul was overwhelmed in them. Let them confess before the Lord His loving kindness, and His wonderful works before the sons of men. " ~William Bradford

What a heritage! And no better time to ponder it than at this moment in history. 

Though I bequeath you no estate, I leave you in the enjoyment of liberty. ~ William Bradford

Love, 

Vee 

 

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Troubles

Dear Friends, 

I am no longer able to sign in to my blog so that I can leave comments on yours. When I select the "sign in" button, I can get behind the page as I have done to post this. Still, when I return to my home page, I am not signed in nor can I sign in at your blog. Always something. 

So far, I can still read at your blogs, but the way things are going... 

Over and out for now at least...

Vee

Edited to Add Saturday November 21, 2020

My good friend Abby, who is apparently a good computer geek as well, was able to determine what was cranking Blogger—they don't like BRAVE. I do like Brave so will continue to use it for most things on this iPad. It is worth the effort of switching to Safari when visiting blogs. See what I go through just for you?! 😁 If I haven't yet arrived at your place, give me a little more time. I am deep into Thanksgiving cleaning to include shredding old documents and washing up dishes only used at this time of year. You know the drill. And now I know why I dislike Safari...it keeps freezing. Oh well, maybe my patience will return.

Hope to visit soon! 

Tints of Autumn

 So here I am again as promised. Just as I was about to write this post, I heard footsteps on my stairs so went in search of whomever~whatever and found my sister-in-law Mary peeking in the garage window.

That caused her to jump. She was just wondering if I was in the garage working as I have been quite often of late. One thing led to another and pretty soon we were off for lunch. We both opted for hamburgers. They were huge. I couldn't eat all of mine and she couldn't eat all of hers. Nevertheless, lunch out was a pleasant diversion.

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Last Friday, a rainy Friday, Laurel and I took off for our annual Leaf-Peeping Day. We began by eating lunch at one of our favorite places and for the next three hours, I spent a lot of time wondering where I was. Laurel knows a lot more roads than I do.

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...I see the sunset light flooding the river valley, the western hills stretching to the horizon, overhung with trees gorgeous and glowing with the tints of autumn--a mighty flower garden, blossoming under the spell of the enchanter, Frost...

~John Greenleaf Whittier

The softened light, the veiling haze,

The calm repose of autumn days,

Steal gently o'er the troubled breast,

Soothing life's weary cares 

to rest.

~Phebe A. Holder

As long as you have a window, life is exciting.
~Gladys Taber

And all the way home again where my own view isn't so bad. 

No, that is not a bottle of beer in the window. It's a pumpkin pie soda bottle...truly awful, but the bottle was too cute to leave on the shelf. 

Thank you for your visit, thank you for the kind comments on yesterday's post.

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Thus concludes October foliage posts from my corner, but don't conclude those from your own. I do love foliage reports.

Love,

Vee